Garment with end closing means

ABSTRACT

A garment having closing means at an open end of a tubular portion thereof. The closing means include a strip with a first end connected to the tubular portion proximate the open end and a second free end. The strip is slidably retained around the open end and the second end includes first retaining means. The closing means also include second retaining means on the tubular portion proximate the open end and defining at least one closing point where the first retaining means is detachably connectable thereto, a distance between the closing point and the first end of the strip being greater than a distance between the first end of the strip and the first retaining means. Upon engagement of the first and second retaining means at the closing point, the strip contracts the open end to an at least partially closed position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to garments having closing means around open ends thereof, more particularly to closing means for an open end of a jersey sleeve.

2. Background Art

Various types of closing means for garment open ends are known. For example, it has been known to provide a circular elastic strip inside the hem of a garment open end (e.g. jersey sleeve, pant leg, waist band of pants or of a sweater, etc), such as to retain the end against the body of the user. However, such an approach does not allow for adjustment of the tension of the end around the body of the user.

It has also been known to provide a strip of material extending freely from an outer wall of a sleeve end and having a hook and loop fastener detachably connectable to another hook and loop fastener defined in the outer wall of the sleeve. Such a strip usually partially closes the sleeve by creating an inward fold in the border of the sleeve, which can be uncomfortable to the wearer.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide an improved closing means for open ends of a garment, which allows for a selective adjustment of the tension around the open end.

It is also an aim of the present invention to provide an improved closing means for a tubular portion of a garment, which allows for a selective adjustment of the tension around a perimeter thereof.

Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a garment comprising a first substantially tubular portion configured to cover at least one of an upper and a lower torso of a wearer, at least one pair of second tubular portions in communication with the first tubular portion and configured for surrounding corresponding limbs of the wearer, and at least one of the first and second tubular portions having an open end including closing means, the closing means comprising a strip having a first end connected to the tubular portion proximate the open end and a second free end, the strip being slidably retained to the tubular portion around the open end and defining a closing direction from the first end to the second end along a perimeter of the open end, the second end including first retaining means, the closing means also comprising second retaining means on the tubular portion proximate the open end and defining at least one closing point where the first retaining means is detachably connectable thereto, a distance between the closing point and the first end of the strip measured around the open end along the closing direction being greater than a distance between the first end of the strip and the first retaining means, such that upon engagement of the first and second retaining means at the closing point, the strip contracts the open end to an at least partially closed position.

Also in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a garment comprising at least one tubular portions configured for surrounding a limb of a wearer, and closing means comprising a strip having a first end connected to the tubular portion around a perimeter thereof and a second free end, the strip being slidably retained to the tubular portion around the perimeter and defining a closing direction from the first end to the second end along the perimeter, the second end including first retaining means, the closing means also comprising second retaining means on an outer surface of the tubular portion proximate the perimeter and defining at least one closing point where the first retaining means is detachably connectable thereto, a distance between the closing point and the first end of the strip measured around the perimeter along the closing direction being greater than a distance between the first end of the strip and the first retaining means, such that upon engagement of the first and second retaining means at the closing point, the strip contracts the tubular portion around the perimeter to an at least partially closed position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, showing by way of illustration a particular embodiment of the present invention and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a jersey having sleeves including closing means according to a particular embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front partial view of the sleeve and closing means of the jersey of FIG. 1 with the end of the sleeve being in a completely open configuration;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional schematic view of the sleeve and closing means taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a front partial view of the sleeve and closing means of FIG. 2 with the end of the sleeve being in a partially closed configuration; and

FIG. 5 is a front view of a tubular portion of a garment with closing means according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, a jersey 10, which can be for example a hockey jersey, is shown. The jersey 10 includes a substantially tubular body 12 defining a chest portion 14, a back portion (not shown) and a shoulder portion 16 which are interconnected and configured for respectively covering the chest, back and shoulders of a wearer. The chest, front and shoulder portions can be separately formed and assembled together, or two or more can be integrally formed from a single panel of material, cloth, leather, etc. Alternately, any of the chest, back and shoulder portions can be composed of a plurality of assembled panels. The jersey 10 also includes a pair of substantially tubular sleeves 18, each extending from the body 12 for containing at least part of an arm of the wearer. Each sleeve 18 has an open end 20 which includes closing means 22 allowing the end 20 to be selectively closed substantially around the arm of the wearer, for example, tightly around the arm of the wearer.

Referring to FIGS. 2-3, the end 20 of the sleeve 18 includes a hem 24, i.e. the material in the end 20 of the sleeve 18 is folded upon itself and stitched, thus defining a somewhat annular enclosure 26 (see FIG. 3) around the open end. Referring particularly to FIG. 3, the folded material of the hem 24 defines an inner wall 28 and an outer wall 30 of the annular enclosure 26.

Still referring to FIG. 3, the closing means 22 may include a strip 32 which has a first end.34 connected to the sleeve 18 in proximity of the open end 20, for example by having the first end 34 sandwiched between the inner and outer walls 28, 30 and connected thereto through a plurality of stitches 36, or rivets, or other means, not shown. In the particular embodiment shown, the strip 32 is made of an elastic material, however it is understood that a non-elastic material could also be used. The strip 32 extends within the annular enclosure 26 where it is free to slide and exits therefrom through an opening 38 formed in the outer wall 30. The second end 40 of the strip 32 is free and includes first retaining means 42, shown here as a piece of hook and loop type fasteners.

Still referring to FIG. 3, the closing means 22 also include, attached on an outer surface 44 of the outer wall 30, a second retaining means 46 complementary to the first retaining means 42, shown here as a complementary piece of hook and loop type fasteners which extends from the opening 38 in the outer wall 30 away from the attached first end 34 of the strip 32. The first and second retaining means 42, 46 are detachably connectable at least at one closing point 48 (see FIG. 4) which is further away around the sleeve end 20 along the closing direction C from the attached first end 34 of the strip 32 than a distance between that first end 34 and the first retaining means 42. Thus, the strip 32 can be selectively pulled along the closing direction C and the first and second retaining means 42, 46 engaged together at the closing point 48 to contract the open end 20 to an at least partially closed position, as shown in FIG. 4.

Since the strip 32 is slidably retained to the sleeve 18 around the open end 20 within the annular enclosure 26 formed by the hem 24, the crumpling of the border produced by the contraction of the open end 20 may be equally distributed along the length of the strip 32 remaining within the annular enclosure 26, which provides for a more comfortable fit around a user's arm. The hook and loop type fasteners advantageously allow for a wide variety of different such closing points (examples being given at 48 a, b, c in FIG. 3) providing for different levels of closure of the open end 20 of the sleeve 18, such that the end 20 can be easily adjusted to multiple sizes. In the embodiment shown, the retaining means 42, 46 advantageously provide attachment at an open point 50, where the open end 20 of the sleeve 18 is free to remain completely open.

Alternately, the retaining means can be, for example, one or more hooks extending from the second end 40 of the strip 32 and one or more corresponding loops extending from the outer wall 30, or vice versa; one or more snap piece attached to the second end 40 of the strip 32 and one or more complementary snap piece attached to the outer wall 30; one or more button attached to the second end 40 of the strip 32 and one or more corresponding button hole defined in the outer wall 30, or vice versa; etc. As in the shown embodiment, the distance on the sleeve 18 between the closing point(s) 48 of the two retaining means 42, 46 and the first end 34 of the strip 32 measured along the closing direction C is greater than the distance between the first end 34 of the strip 32 and the first retaining means 42, in order that upon engagement of the retaining means 42, 46 at the closing point(s) 48, the strip 32 contracts the open end 20 of the sleeve 18, thus reducing the size of the open end 20 and as such partially closing it.

Alternately, it is possible to slidably attach the strip 32 around the open end 20 of the sleeve 18 using a different configuration than having the strip 32 extending within the annular enclosure 26 of the hem 24. For example, the strip can pass through a plurality of loops extending from the outer surface 44 of the outer wall 30. Other configurations are also possible.

It is also possible to provide similar closing means 22 in other portions of the jersey 10 in addition to or instead of, for example along the bottom open end 52 (see FIG. 1) substantially surrounding the waist of the wearer, or in other types of garment, for example in pants, at the open end of pant legs or at the open end of the waist.

In an alternate embodiment, closing means 122 similar to the closing means 22 may be used around a perimeter of a tubular portion 118 of a garment in other parts than around an open end thereof, for example in the sleeve of a jersey intermediate the shoulder and the wrist, on the pant leg intermediate the hip and the ankle, or in one or more points along a length of a sock. This is illustrated by FIG. 5 where the tubular portion 118 shown can be, for example, a jersey sleeve, a pant leg or a sock. In the embodiment shown, a circumferential portion of an annular enclosure 126 is defined along an outer surface 144 of the tubular portion 118 to contain the strip 132, although other means of slidably retaining the strip 132 can also be used. The first retaining means 142 of the second end 140 of the strip 132 are detachably connectable to the second retaining means 146 on the outer surface 144 of the tubular portion 118, as explained in the previous embodiment. This configuration is particularly advantageous for selectively closing the tubular portion around a protective pad which is worn underneath.

The embodiments of the invention described above are intended to be exemplary. Those skilled in the art will therefore appreciate that the foregoing description is illustrative only, and that various alternate configurations and modifications can be devised without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternate configurations, modifications and variances which fall within the scope of the appended claims. 

1. A garment comprising.: a first substantially tubular portion configured to cover at least one of an upper and a lower torso of a wearer; at least one pair of second tubular portions in communication with the first tubular portion and configured for surrounding corresponding limbs of the wearer; and at least one of the first and second tubular portions having an open end including closing means, the closing means comprising a strip having a first end connected to the tubular portion proximate the open end and a second free end, the strip being slidably retained to the tubular portion around the open end and defining a closing direction from the first end to the second end along a perimeter of the open end, the second end including first retaining means, the closing means also comprising second retaining means on the tubular portion proximate the open end and defining at least one closing point where the first retaining means is detachably connectable thereto, a distance between the closing point and the first end of the strip measured around the open end along the closing direction being greater than a distance between the first end of the strip and the first retaining means, such that upon engagement of the first and second retaining means at the closing point, the strip contracts the open end to an at least partially closed position.
 2. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the second retaining means define a plurality of closing points where the first retaining means are detachably connectable thereto, such that engagement of the first and second retaining means at each closing point provides a different level of closure of the open end.
 3. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the first and second retaining means are complementary hook and loop-type fasteners.
 4. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the strip is an elastic strip.
 5. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the strip is slidably retained within an annular enclosure formed by a hem surrounding the open end, the second end exiting the annular enclosure through a hole defined in, a wall of the hem.
 6. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the first substantially tubular portion defines interconnected chest, back and shoulder portions configured for respectively covering a chest, a back and shoulders of the wearer, the at least one pair of second tubular portions including two sleeves, each sleeve being configured for containing at least part of an arm of the wearer.
 7. The garment according to claim 6, wherein each sleeve has the open end including the closing means.
 8. The garment according to claim 6, wherein the first substantially tubular portion has the open end including the closing means, the open end being defined by the chest and back portions and being configured to surround the torso of the wearer substantially around a waist thereof.
 9. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the first substantially tubular portion is configured to cover the lower torso of the wearer including hips, and the at least one pair of tubular portions includes two pant legs, each pant leg being configured for containing at least part of a leg of the wearer.
 10. The garment according to claim 9, wherein each pant leg has the open end including the closing means.
 11. The garment according to claim 9, wherein the first substantially tubular portion has the open end including the closing means, the tubular portion being configured such that the open end surrounds the torso of the wearer substantially around a waist thereof.
 12. A garment comprising: at least one tubular portions configured for surrounding a limb of a wearer; and closing means comprising a strip having a first end connected to the tubular portion around a perimeter thereof and a second free end, the strip being slidably retained to the tubular portion around the perimeter and defining a closing direction from the first end to the second end along the perimeter, the second end including first retaining means, the closing means also comprising second retaining means on an outer surface of the tubular portion proximate the perimeter and defining at least one closing point where the first retaining means is detachably connectable thereto, a distance between the closing point and the first end of the strip measured around the perimeter along the closing direction being greater than a distance between the first end of the strip and the first retaining means, such that upon engagement of the first and second retaining means at the closing point, the strip contracts the tubular portion around the perimeter to an at least partially closed position.
 13. The garment according to claim 12, wherein the tubular portion is one of a jersey sleeve, a pant leg and a sock.
 14. The garment according to claim 12, wherein the perimeter of the tubular portion and closing means are located between opposed ends of the tubular portion. 